Christmas bridge tournament draws hundreds

Special to The Record

Published Wednesday, December 05, 2001

The 13th annual three day "Prelude to Christmas Sectional Bridge Tournament" concluded Sunday night at the Bridge Center. Hosted by Patsy and Jim Blakeslee, tournament co-chairs, a total of 214 tables were in play by 275 different players from all over the Southeast.

Twenty-four of the top 50 masterpoint winners are members of the St. Augustine Duplicate Bridge Club. Leading Flight A was Gail Rust. Alix Dieter was the top winner in Flight C and 15th overall. Betty Morgan was sixth in Flight A, followed by Barbara and Bill McCallon, who tied for seventh.

In the Handicapped Knockout Teams, Dorothy Johnson and the McCallons won as part of a five-man team. Lyle Townsend, Sissie Crafton, and Jim and Iris Dale were second overall.

Locals making the overall rankings Friday morning were Joan Rivers and Alix Dieter who were first of 50 pairs A and B; Wally Mussallem, Betty Schiffer, Nancy Grierson, Keith Johnson, Bud Markel and Sheldon and Rhoda Kushner. In the 99er pairs, Pat Darling and Shirley Monahan were first overall. Connie Cullen, George Schatz, Gudrun Hopfgartner, Art Wildblood, Barbara Nailer, and Harvey Wolf also were in the overalls.

Locals in the overalls Friday afternoon were Jim Hagan and Bill Hofmann who were first of 51 pairs A and B. Johnson and Markel and Sue Thoke were also in the overalls.

Al Goff and Marion Harstedt were first overall of 72 pairs Saturday morning. Betty and Neil Morgan, Rickey and Ed Menard, Liz Fujii, Doug Rollings, Sheila Spears, Jeanne Goedert, Billie Puckett, Mimi Kelly, Carolyn Walker, Pat Adadow and Barbara Brennen also made the overalls. In the Easybridge! Pairs, Helen and Carl Taylor were first overall. Darling and Monahan, and Laverne and Jim Sygenda were other locals making the overalls.

In the Swiss Team of Four event on Sunday, local members Louise Kicklighter, and Doug and Ann Rollings were on teams that made the overalls. The all St. Augustine team of Julia George, Barbara Brennan, Pat Darling and Eve Morris were 4th overall in the B Flight. Thirty-six teams were competing.

The deadline to make reservations for the Christmas game, party and dinner is Dec. 11. Call Mimi Kelly, the party chairperson, to make reservations, or sign up at the club. The game starts at 2 p.m. Dec. 13, at the Bridge Center, with the party and dinner to follow.

Special STAC (sectional tournament at clubs) games will be held this Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday.